Benefits of optical fiber include extremely wide bandwidth and low noise operation. Because of these advantages, optical fiber is increasingly being used for a variety of applications, including but not limited to broadband voice, video, and data transmission. Fiber optic networks employing optical fiber are being developed and used to deliver voice, video, and data transmissions to subscribers over both private and public networks. These fiber optic networks often include separated connection points linking optical fibers to provide “live fiber” from one connection point to another connection point. In this regard, fiber optic equipment is located in data distribution centers or central offices to support interconnections.
Fiber optic cables can also be extended from the fiber optic equipment to end point devices to provide fiber optic network connectivity to the end point devices. For example, an end point device may be a network card in an office computer in an office environment. In this regard, wall- and/or floor-mounted fiber optic junction boxes may be provided in a building to house a fiber optic panel to provide connectivity points between a fiber optic cable run through the interior walls or floors of a building and end point devices in the building. FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a floor-mounted junction box 10 that includes a cavity 12 for disposing a floor-mounted fiber optic panel 14 in a floor. For example, the fiber optic panel 14 illustrated in FIG. 1 contains six (6) duplex LC fiber optic adapters 16(1) -16(6) extending through a panel 18. Thus in this example, six (6) duplex connectorized legs of a fiber optic cable (not shown) can be brought into a rear side of the floor-mounted junction box 10 and connected to the backside of the duplex LC fiber optic adapters 16(1)-16(6) in the floor-mounted fiber optic panel 14. Last run fiber optic jumper cables (not shown) can be connected to the front side of the duplex LC fiber optic adapters 16(1)-16(6) extending out from the fiber optic panel 14 and to end point devices to provide optical fiber connectivity between the end point devices and the fiber optic cable. Thus, in this example, the six (6) duplex LC fiber optic adapters 16(1)-16(6) can support duplex fiber optic connectivity to up to six (6) end point devices.
Thus in summary, the paths or conduits in the interior walls and/or floors of a building to support runs of the fiber optic cable have to be large enough in diameter to support break out of multiple legs each having end fiber optic connectors. Larger diameter pull paths can be more difficult to install. It would be advantageous if fiber optic connectivity could be provided to the end point devices in a manner that would reduce or minimize the pulling path size of the fiber optic cable and provide for the desired fiber optic connectivity to end point devices.
No admission is made that any reference cited herein constitutes prior art. Applicant expressly reserves the right to challenge the accuracy and pertinency of any cited documents.